Key



Nov. 6, 1934. c. L. COUGHLIN KEY Filed Feb. 10, 1954 W &

GHRLEELfJUEHL/N Patented Nov. 6, 1934- isiaeto KEY Charles L. Coughlin,Milwaukee, Wis, assignor to Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee,Wis, a corporation of Delaware Application February 10, 1934, Serial No.710,673

11 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in keysand refers more particularly to keys for cylinder locks of the typeemployed on automotive vehicles.

Heretofore, it has been the custom for the lock manufacturer to stampthe number of the lock directly on the key. This was done primarily toidentify the lock during the process of manufacture. The number on thekey referred to the combination of the lock for which the key wasintended, and which was obtainable through the use of code charts.Hence, any one in possession of a code chart and knowing the number ofthe key could duplicate it without the necessity of actually having thekey. As a result, automobile thefts grew to wholesale proportions as itwas cn'y necessary for the thief to obtain access to the key of anautomobile intended to be stolen, while in a public garage, read itsnumber and by reference to the chart determine its combination and cut akey accordingly. Then, when the car was left parked on the street, itwas a simple matter for him to use the key with which he had providedhimself, and drive the car away without arousing the least suspicion.

This possibility could be avoided by eliminating the number from thekey, but as pointed out hereinbefore, it is necessary during themanufacturing process of the locks and keys to have some identificationon the key, and to carry this identification on through the'manufactureof the automobile and up to and including delivery to the dealer.

This object could, of course, be attained by app ying the identificationnumber by means of a sticker intending that it remain on the key untilthe automobile was delivered to the customer, but this methodof-identification is open to obvious objections.

It therefore, an object of this invention to provide a means foridentifying a key by number, which means is an integral part of the keyuntil it is actually removed, and which requires some degree of forcefor removal so as to preclude its accidental detachment.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it beingunderstood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated one complete example ofthe physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to thebest mode I have so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one side of a key equipped withthe novel identifying means of this invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the opposite side of the key; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the key with the identifying meansdetached therefrom.

Referring now more particularly to accompanying drawing, the numeral 5designates a key of any conventional construction having a shank 6, oneedge of which is notched as at '7 for coaction with the tumblers of alock, and a head 8. Heretofore, the identification number was stampeddirectly on the head of the key and thus became a permanent partthereof.

The present invention contemplates the provision of identification meanswhich, although an integral part of the key, is so constructed that itmay be readily removed therefrom by the use of a slight degree of force,and which is so constructed that if the dealer fails to detach theidentification means, its presence makes the key cumbersome and the useror owner of the automobile soon detaches the same from the key.

For this purpose, the head of the key has a substantially T-shaped tab9, formed integrally therewith. One side of this tab has theidentification number 10 stamped thereon as illustrated in Figure l, andthe other side carries the words Break off, or some similar designationindieating that the tab'is to be broken off from the key.

As the tab is attached to the head of the key by its stem which forms arestricted throat or neck 11, it is easily broken off. To facilitatebreaking oil the tab, the opposite sides of the restricted neck orthroat are scored as at 12. The presence of the score marks also locatesthe line of break and precludes the formation of rough burrs which mightproject beyond the faces of the key.

To further preclude the projection of rough edges which might tear thepocket of the user, the head of the key at the point of attachment ofthe tab, is recessed as at 13, so that the slight projection 14 left onthe head of the key after the tab is broken off, as shown in Figure 3,does not project beyond the circumference of the head extended as animaginary line across the top of the recess 13.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, thatthis invention affords a simple solution to the problem presented by theheretofore objectionable presence of lock numbers on the keys.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a key having a shank insertable into a lock and an externalportion which is located outside the look when the key is in the lock,an identification tab attached to said external portion by a restrictedthroat so as to be readily broken off.

2. In a key having a shank insertable into a lock and an externalportion which is located outside the lock when the key is in the lock, apart projecting beyond the regular periphery of said external portion ofthe key and having means to identify the key, said part being attachedto the external portion of the key proper by a restricted throat so thatsaid part may be readily broken off.

3. Ina key having a shank insertable into a lock and an external portionwhich is located outside the look when the key is in the look, a partattached to said external portion of the key and projecting beyond theregular periphery thereof, said part having means to identify the key,and means at the point of attachment of said part to the key tofacilitate breaking said part off from the key.

4. In a key having a shank insertable into a lock and an externalportion which is located outside the lock when the key is in the look, apart carried by said external portion of the key and projecting beyondthe regular periphery thereof, said part having means to identify thekey, and means at the point of attachment of said part to the key tofacilitate breaking said part off from the key and to preclude theformation of burrs projecting beyond the opposite faces of the key. v

5. In a key having a shank insertable into a lock and an externalportion which is located outside the look when the key is in the look, apart attached to said external portion of the key and extending beyondthe regular periphery thereof, said part having means to identify thekey, and there being score marks on opposite sides of said part at itspoint of attachment to the key to facilitate breaking said part from thekey and to preclude the projection of burrs beyond the faces of the key.

6. In a key, a part projecting beyond the regular periphery of the key,and having the sole means for identifying the combination of the key,said part having a narrow restricted threat by which it is attached tothe key,and said restricted throat having its opposite sides scored atits point of attachment to the body of the key to facilitate breakingsaid part from the key and to avoid the projection of burrs beyond thefaces of the key.

7. In a key, a part projecting beyond the regular periphery of the keyand having means to identify the key, a restricted throat at the pointof attachment of said part to the key, and means on said restrictedthroat to facilitate breaking said part from the key and to locate thepoint of break inwardly of the regular periphery of the key so that anyburr incidental to breaking said part from the key does not projectbeyond the edge of the key.

8. In a key, a part projecting beyond the regular periphery of the key,said part having means to identify the key and being attached to the keyby a restricted throat, the portion of the key adjacent the restrictedthroat being recessed so that said restricted throat extends inwardly ofthe regular periphery of the key, and means on said restricted throatinwardly of the normal periphery of the key to facilitate breaking saidpart from the key and to locate the point of break inwardly of theregular periphery of the key.

9. In a key, an identification tab formed as an integral part thereofand attached to the head of the key by a restricted throat, the head ofthe key being recessed at the point of attachment of N said restrictedthroat, and means on said restricted throat to facilitate breaking thetab off and to locate the line of break adjacent the bottom of therecess so that any burrs incidental to breaking the tab off of the keydo not project beyond the normal periphery of the key.

10. In a key, a substantially T-shaped identification tab formed as anintegral part thereof and attached to the head of the key at the foot ofits stem, the head of the key being recessed at the point of attachmentof the tab thereto, so that the stem of the tab extends inwardly of animaginary line continuing the regular periphery of the key across thetop of the recess, and means adjacent the bottom of of the tab tofacilitate breaking the tab off from the key and to locate the point ofbreak inwardly of said imaginary line continuing the regular peripheryof the key across the top of the recess.

11. In a key having a shank and an enlarged head, an identification tabformed integrally with the key and projecting beyond the regularperiphery of the head of the key, said identification tab being soshaped and of such size as to present an objectionable projection on thekey and having a part of reduced cross section to facilitate by theuser. CHARLES L. COUGHLIN.

its being broken off the recess and on said stem

